Fire-extinguishing device.



-J. S. THOMSON.

FIRE EXTINGUISHING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.24. Hi5.

Patented July 10, 1917.

2 SHEE|S-SHEET l.

3 wow Lick J. S. THOMSON.

FIRE EXTINGUISHING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.24,1915.

Patented July 10, 1917.

'2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

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FIEE-EXTINGUISHING DEVICE.

naeaaee.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented duly 1W, ilwl'l.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it brown that l, JOHN STEWART THoM- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing in township of Little Falls, county of Fassaic, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Extinguishing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a fire extinguishing device and. more specifically to an. automatic heat-responsive extinguisher employing a volatile extinguishing fluid adapted to be ejected from a container by pressure generated therein.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a thermally-controlled extinguisher of the type described, in which the volatile contents are liberated when a predetermined degree of temperature is reached by means of a thermo-responsive device designed to act before excessive pressure in the container is generated. Another object of the invention is to provide a thermally-controlled extinguisher of the kind described which shall eject a stream or spray under pressure developed by the volatile liquid therein directly onto the ignited object. Another object is to provide a simple self-contained automatic extinguishing device which may be manufactured at low cost and easily set up.

Qther objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

Tn the accompanying drawings, in which are shown certain embodiments of the invention and in which similar reference numerals refer tosimilar parts throughout, Figure 1,

represents a sectional elevatlon of an automatically-operated fire extinguisher embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a detail view of the lower portion of the device corresponding to Fig. 1, with certain parts removed, as when caused by the action of heat; Fig. 3 is a partial sectional elevation of a modification of the device showing an outer preheating tube adjacent the valve member; Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of another modification showing the container with corrugated sides and a spring-operated thermally-controlled valve member, the parts be ing shown ready for operation; Fig. 5 is a detail view of the lower portion of the device shown in Fig. 4, the position of the parts being there shown after the discharge of the container; and Fig. 6 is another modi:

application tou'se inflconnection with a car- I bureter.

Referring now, more, specifically to the drawings, andparticnlarly to the's'howing in Figs. 1 and 2, lrepresents a substantially rectangular container provided with an open ng 2 in the upper wall thereof to permlt the filling of the container, the openlng being provided with a screw-threaded cap having a release valve 4 positioned thereln controlling an inlet/5 for admission of air, but preventing escape of gas.

The container is shown as partially full of the volatile extinguishing agent 6, which may be of any known composition of low boiling point, but is preferably composed of carbon tetrachlorid, which is employed on account of its comparatively ready volatilit for a purpose which will appear here- 1na ter, and on account of the fact that it possesses the property of readily mingling with burning asolene, kerosene, etc., to form a smothering blanket. h

In the bottom or lower wall? of the container is formed a boss 8, into which is secured the shank 9 of a spraying nozzle, comprising the hollow dome 1O adjoining the conduit through the shank 9 and provided with the support having arms 11 joined by an annulus 12 in screw-threaded engagement with the interior of the dome 10. The dlaphragm 13 provided with the orifice 14 is positioned across the passage throu h the shank and dome. The orifice is close by a bulbed valve head 15 provided with a twopart strut 16 and 17 adjustably supported adjacent the sprinkler head 18. The parts of this strut are joined together in the usual manner by the cylindrical collar 18 of heatres onsive; material, preferably of readily fusible metal having a melting point slightly below the boiling point of the carbon tetrachlorid, namely, 76 0., such as solder.

The method of operation of the device is as follows: A rise in temperature of the atmosphere simultaneously heats the solder and the extinguishing liquid, this simultaneous heatin taking place in view of the close proximlty of the active substances to one another. As the temperature rises and before it approaches the melting point of the solder, volatilization of thecarbon te trachlorid begins and the gas collecting in the upper portion of the container exerts a pressure on the liquid. As has been mentioned, the solder is preferably chosen so that its melting point is slightly below the boiling point of the carbon tetrachlorid, and hence at a point just below the boiling point of the extinguishing fluid, the fusion of the solder occurs, the two parts of the strut are disconnected, releasing the valve-head 15, opening the orifice 14:, and permitting the ejection of the carbon tetrachlorid, which, upon coining in contact with fire, forms an oxygenexcluding blanket over the burning object.

The ejectment of the extinguishing liquid thus takes place, it will be noted, directly downward from the bottom of the container, with such force that it is sprayed over a considerable area below and around the container, so that the cooling action is avoided which results when the spraying proceeds from the top of a container and substantially envelops the sides of the container. The expulsion of the extinguishing fluid at a temperature just below its boiling point is de- 'sirably effected in order both to avoid its ejectment in gaseous form, it being found that the expulsion in liquid form is a more eiiicient way of extinguishing fire, and to obviate the chance of explosion, whereby the advantage of a timed flow would be lost.

Referring now more particularly to the embodiment in Fig. 3, there is shown a container 1 having a suitable fill-opening and provided with the sprinkler and associated parts, as heretofore. In addition to the parts previously described, there is also provided an independent conduit of fine copper or the like having one extremity 19 opening into-the lower portion of the container and secured to the bottom wall thereof, an intermediate coiled portion 20 surrounding the portion of the sprinkler above the cylindrical collar 18 the coiled portion adjoining an upright portion 21 having terminal2-2 on the interior of the container at a point adjacent its top. This independent conduit provides an additional heating surface for that portion of the carbon tetrachlorid which has flowed into the coil. This increases the sensitiveness of the apparatus and permits the development of a considerable gas pressure in a comparatively short time with a small amount of heat. Pet cock 20 may be used for drawing off the liquid.

Referring now to the showing in Figs. 4 and 5, the container is there shown as provided with corrugated sides 23, these corrugations bei'n adapted to provide a greater heating sur ace and thus render the extinguishing fluid more sensitive to the action of temperature.- The container in this case is provided as heretofore with a sprinkler member inthe bottom thereof, this sprinkler member being modified in that a flat closure member 24 is provided adjacent the orificed diaphragm 25, this flat closure being pivotally supported in a recessed portion of the ring 26 of the sprinkler head support. The closure 24 is centrally su )ported by a series of links comprising an oriiiced link 27 through which projects a substantially C-shaped link 28 occupying a reversed position and having its lower portion supported on one of the arms 29 adjacent the sprinkler head. A block 30 contacts with the upper portion of the C-shaped link and is secured to the lower portion of the orificed link 27 by a joiner 31 of solder, or similar readily fusible material. The extremity of the closure 24 opposite the pivotal portion is connected to a sprin 32 attached to one of the arms 29 at a point immediately below the end of the closure 24.

The operation of this embodiment is as follows: The heat from the ignited object having reached the extinguisher, the solder and the carbon tetrachlorid are simultaneously acted upon, gas pressure is generated, and at a predetermined temperature the sol der is fused, whereupon the block 30 is released and the spring 32 acts to force downwardly the orificed link 27 and parts associated therewith into the position shown in Fig. 5. The spring in this case insures a positive opening of the closure member, and although under the usual conditions this will be unnecessary, it may be desirable to employ the spring under certain circumstances.

Referring now to the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, there is shown a carbureter 83 of the ordinary type suitably supported upon the portion 34 of an engine of an automd bile, motor boat, or the like. Immediately 1 with an annular channel 36 between raised 1 annular ribs on the container, about which passes an annulus 37 attached to the engine or adjacent support. The interior of the container is provided with carbon tetrachlorid or a similar fire extinguishing agent, and the bottom is closed by a dished closure member 38 which is somewhat smaller than the bore of the container. This closure member is held in the bottom of the container by means of a ring 39 of material whose fusing point is substantially the boiling point of the extinguishin liquid, making a tight joint therewith. Positioned on the inside of the container and extending from the closure 38 to the opposite end wall 40, and there attached, is a compressed spring 41.

The operation of this embodiment of the device is as follows: Upon dan erous heating of the atmosphere surroun ing the caressee bureter, the parts of the container and contents become superheated, and when a predetermined temperature has been reached equal to the melting point of the solder,-

escape under the pressure which has been.

developed in the container by the external heat. Those portions of the extin fluid which are not volatilized an do not pass oil may be conveniently caught in a drip pan 42 placed below'the carbureter in order to provide for further 'volatilization in proximity to the carbureter.

. The extinguishing device described is simple and eificient in action. Sincethe'heatresponsive element is positioned adj acentthe' extinguishing liquid and the parts are thus acted upon simultaneously, an efficient control of the discharge of the container is s'ecured. It will be seen that, among others, the objects of the invention heretofore mentioned are achieved.

As various modifications of the device will readily occur to one skilled in the art, I do not desire to limit myself to the specific:

embodiments here shown except as noted in the appended claims:

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a fire extinguishing device, a container, a volatile extinguishing substance therein adapted to generate gas pressure, a temperature-responsive valve member in the lower wall of said container, and a by-pass around said member.

2. In a fire extinguishing device, a container for-a vaporizable extinguishing agent adapted to generate pressure therein, a valve member in said container, said valve member comprising a joint adapted to hold the valve in closed position and to soften at ishing predetermined temperatureyand a by-pass' about said valve adapted toaccelerate the formation of. expansive vapor in said container.

3. In a fire extinguishing device, a container for a vaporizable extinguishing agent, a valve therein, adapted to open when a predetermined temperature is reached, and a coil of pipe of small diameter external to said container and communicating therewith at both its ends adapted to subject a portion of said agent contained therein to the more immediateefl'ect of a rise in temperature.

4.v In a fire extinguishing device, a container, a volatile extinguishing substance therein adapted to generate gas-pressure, a valve member in the lower wall of said container and furnishing an outlet for expulsion of the extinguishing substance under its own gas pressure, an independent conduit terminating at both ends in the container and passing about said valve member intermediate its ends, and means to hold said valve closed and adapted to be released when a predetermined temperature is reached.

5. In a fire extinguishing device, a container, a volatile extinguishing substance therein adapted to generate gas pressure, a valve member in the lower wall of said container, an independent conduit having one extremity terminating in the lower Wall of the container, an intermediate portion coiled about said valve member, the other extremity terminating within said container above the level of sand substance, said valve member being provided with a two-part strut, the-parts of said strut being joined together by a fusible substance adapted upon exposure to a given temperature to permit the outflow of extinguishing substance under the pressure of gas generated by the liquid in the container and in the conduit.

J. STEWART THOMSON. 

